by David Sirota Working for Change Entered into the database on Thursday, April 06th, 2006 @ 10:28:41 MST

Untitled Document

Here's a big shocker - the Wall Street wing of the Democratic Party
today announced it would be beginning its new war in earnest on the grassroots
elements of the party that are demanding serious public policy changes.
As the Financial Times reports,
Citigroup Chairman Bob Rubin held a press conference at the Brookings Institution
to announce the formation of the so-called "Hamilton Project." After
paying lip service to various economic problems afflicting the country, Rubin
and his former Treasury colleague Roger Altman quickly let it be known exactly
what they are up to.

Here's the key excerpt:

"At a time when Democrats have become more aggressive in voicing concerns
about the foreign ownership of US assets, Roger Altman, former deputy Treasury
secretary under Mr Clinton, added that more inclusive economic growth could
also 'blunt the political demands for protectionism'...[The group] said it
was willing to take on entrenched Democratic interests, such as teaching unions.
Policy papers unveiled on Wednesday proposed vouchers for summer schools..."

There it all is. First there's the dishonest name-calling aimed at those courageous
Democrats who are challenging the free trade orthodoxy that is destroying the
lives of millions of American and foreign workers. Then there is the promise
of an ensuing attack on the labor movement - a reflexive move, of course, for
a bunch of corporate executives. And finally, the nod to efforts to defund public
education through "vouchers."

None of this is surprising, of course. As head of Citigroup, Rubin has a financial
interest in the agenda he's pushing. And he's made no apologies for the brazenness
with which he pushes his corporatism. Remember, it was Rubin during the debate
over the Central American Free Trade Agreement who demanded that congressional
Democrats back
off their efforts to include labor, human rights and environmental protections
in the pact. He and his pals are the same people who rammed trade deals like
NAFTA, WTO and China PNTR down the throats of Americans, and then left government
service for the high life of the corporate boardroom. There, they reaped the
rich financial rewards of the very sell-out policies they used public office
to push, while millions of Americans saw their jobs outsourced, their wages
frozen and their benefits slashed.

Oh sure, the group claims it is going to look at critical issues like income
inequality - but you can be sure they will look at that issue without looking
at issues like "free" trade that are fueling that inequality. Because
make no mistake about it - this move today is nothing more
than the beginning of a frontal attack by Corporate America on the progressive
movement, using the Democratic Party as an all-too-transparent cloak of legitimacy.

David Sirota is a writer and veteran political strategist.
He just completed a book for Random House's Crown Publishers entitled "Hostile
Takeover" - it will be released in the Spring of 2006. Sirota is
currently the co-chairperson of the Progressive Legislative Action Network
(PLAN). - a position he
took after finishing a two-year stint at the Center for American Progress. Sirota
is currently a Senior Editor atIn
These Timesmagazine, and a regular contributor to The
Nationmagazine. He is also a twice-weekly guest on the Al Franken Show.